A Kiss Before I Go
by TheSilverArgents
Summary: The only snag in the plan was leaving Jack. Not three months into their marriage and she was already leaving for two weeks.


_A/N: Hello, darling readers! Okay, I saw this picture while I was scrolling down my dash on Tumblr and it really screamed 'lambcuddles' at me so I decided to write this little one-shot about it. The lovely reviews and favorites you guys leave on the story truly encourage me to keep on writing so keep leaving those and leave a prompt if you want! Since I can barely move I'll get around to answering it soon enough! Well, I hope you enjoy!_

She usually didn't travel such a long way for work, but the story she'd be getting out of it would be amazing. Flager's Folly is what most people had been calling Henry Flagler's idea to build a railroad into Key West. The Sun had gone through great lengths to get their more experienced reporters on the job and score a one-on-one interview with the elderly man, but he refused all of them. So, she'd written him a letter full of sincere promises that, no, she wasn't there to mock him, yes, she was an experience writer, and, of course, she believed in what he was doing.

A week later she'd received an invitation to meet him in St. Augustine for the first week and that they'd travel down to Biscayne Bay together the following week so that she could see the construction of the railroad. Katherine had rushed to her editor, presented the letter to him and he sighed, "You have a real habit of getting the impossible done, don't you Mrs. Kelly?" He gave her two weeks off with pay so that she could meet Flagler.

The only snag in the plan was leaving Jack. Not three months into their marriage and she was already leaving for two weeks. She'd felt guilty, of course, but he swore left, right, and center that he'd be fine. He helped her pack all of her bags and she may or may not have stolen the newsboy cap that used to practically be glued to his head just to carry a piece of him with her.

….

At the moment, Jack was helping a staff member on the train lift all of her luggage onto the locomotive. Katherine watched him and sighed, she was starting to waver again. No doubt that after last night in bed with him she'd adamantly refused to go and he flicked her earlobe, knowing she didn't mean it. He shot her a smile when he pulled the last suitcase up and she smiled back a bit sadly.

She got up from her spot on the bench, walked up to him and grabbed his hand, "You're sure you'll be alright?"

Jack rolled his eyes, "For the hundredth time: yes." He smiled at her lovingly and hugged her. Katherine sighed when she felt his arms encircle her; two weeks without a proper Jack Kelly hug. She felt his chin press into the top of her head and he sighed, "But I am gonna miss ya."

"Shut up." Katherine warned, but the words were muffled due to the fact that she had her face pressed into his chest.

They stayed like that for what seemed to be forever until they heard the final boarding call.

"You have to go." He mumbled into her hair.

She said nothing, but extricated herself from his arms, holding only his hand as they began walking to the train. Katherine sighed quietly. "I'm almost regretting this interview."

"_Almost._" Jack laughed, knowing she'd never regret an interview as good as this one.

She shrugged and held her ticket up to the conductor so that he could punch it. After he punched a hole in it, Katherine turned to her husband. His eyes had lost that happy glint in them and it broke her heart, "I'm going to miss you."

He rolled his eyes, forcing himself to smile. "Shut up." He grinned at her trying to lighten the mood. He bent forward to kiss her cheek and she ran into the train before she got more emotional.

A staff member was waiting for her and directed her to her seat. It was on the right side of the train and there was plenty of room seeing as her compartment members hadn't yet arrived. The compartment was two away from an emergency exit door. She looked out the window trying to find Jack amongst the sea of people and found him walking on the platform, looking into each of the windows.

Suddenly she had an idea. It'd probably get her into trouble, but Katherine Kelly's troublemaking ideas always got her into some sort of a jam. At the moment though, she didn't quite care. She got up from her chair, nodded at the family of four that would be joining her in the compartment as they walked in and made her way to the emergency exit.

She looked around to make sure no one would immediately catch her and send her to her seat. Luckily, the staff was to occupied in helping other parties find their compartments and answering questions. She crept silently to the door and carefully opened it. Nothing happened and she breathed a sigh of relief, she placed herself on the step of the emergency door and held onto the door for leverage. Katherine scanned the crowd for Jack and spotted him within a couple of seconds still looking into windows.

"Jack Kelly!" She shouted at the top of her lungs attracting a couple of stares in her direction. Fortunately, the only stare she cared about swung towards her and a smile bloomed on his face. She nodded her head urging him to come to her and he practically ran, nearly knocking over a waste bin.

When he finally reached her, he grinned at her, "Something you needed Missus Kelly?"

"Yes, get over here you idiot." She smiled at him and he laughed looking down at the bars that separated the platform and the railroad. "Make it work." She snapped impatiently at him as he ran a hand through his hair.

He looked around him to make sure no one important was watching and got up on the bars, leaning over them to meet her halfway. She held onto the door a bit tighter and cursed the wide gap between them because she wanted nothing more than to run her hands through his hair. A bit of wolf-whistling started up behind him but they ignored it and continued kissing until all the air had left their lungs. "Proper enough for you?" He asked between gasps of air.

Katherine rolled her eyes, "Yes, it was perfect." She touched his cheek fondly. "I love you."

He took a deep breath and leaned into her touch, "Love you too, Ace."

A guard with a booming voice came up behind Jack and he declared "Sir, I am going to have to ask you to get down from there."

Jack reluctantly got off the bars and Katherine watched him with a sad smile. She gave him a final wave and turned to go back into the train. Before she could close the door she heard Jack's voice call her. "Hey Kelly!"

She swung back around a sad but cheeky grin on her face, "Yeah Kelly?"

"Write it good."


End file.
